afilado
/afiˈlado/
The English phrase honed is translated into Spanish as afilado.
In Spanish, afilado is used to describe a blade or tool that has been made sharp. It is also the standard way to describe a blade that is currently sharp.
What does it mean word for word?
The adjective afilado is derived from the verb afilar, which means to hone or to sharpen.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word must match the gender and number of the noun it describes.
How do you pronounce it?
/afiˈlado/
Did you know?
- The verb afilar is used in the common idiom afilar el diente, which literally means to sharpen the tooth. It is used to describe someone who is preparing themselves for a challenge or is becoming greedy for something.
- While afilado describes a sharp blade, if you want to say someone has 'honed' or 'sharpened' a skill, you would more commonly use the verb pulir, which literally means to polish.
- In Spanish, the word filo refers to the 'edge' of a blade, but it is also used to describe the 'edge' of a cliff or a steep ridge in a mountain range.
Examples in context
- Su habilidad ha sido desarrollada con maestríaHis/her skill has been honed masterfully
- El proceso ha sido optimizado para una mayor productividadThe process has been honed for greater productivity
- He pulido mis habilidades de escrituraI have honed my writing skills
- He mejorado mi nivel de inglés con práctica constanteI have honed my English level through consistent practice
- Es importante potenciar nuestras habilidades para tener éxitoIt's important to hone our skills to be successful
- El cuchillo está muy afilado.The knife is very sharp/honed.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are preparing dinner in the kitchen.
- ElenaAlejandro, ¿está afilado este cuchillo?Alejandro, is this knife honed?
- AlejandroSí, lo afilé esta mañana.Yes, I sharpened it this morning.
- ElenaPerfecto, así cortaré las verduras rápido.Perfect, that way I'll cut the vegetables quickly.
- AlejandroTen cuidado porque corta mucho.Be careful because it cuts a lot.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry afilado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
